Will gas prices localize more teams?

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I'm starting to wonder if gas prices will start to influence more heavily where girls play. I have a few girls that drive good clip for practices and worry that they might be more apt to look at closer local teams next because of gas prices. Will teams become more localized in the future and end up resembling glorified community teams.

 

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My wife and I have had this discussion. We travel a little over an hour to practice. My dd enjoys her team but she is not paying the bills. Our coaches are good about understanding circumstances that prevent players from attending practice. With my dd entering high school next year that will cut down on trips we are now making between the months of march and may. If she wanted to play I would make sure she was there

 

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It will affect our family in one way or the other!!!

 

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I know our team is looking at playing closer tournaments due to gas prices. We are not one of the top teams in Central Ohio, but a lot of girls that want to better their game. Our coaches have decided to put them in tournaments that will give them competetive play to better their game.

 

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Pretty sure it already has had an effect. I know it played a big part in how we scheduled our tournaments for this summer. Player that was coming the furthest already changed to a team closer to home. Good luck.......... only getting worse!

 

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The news reported from the oil companies today, that in 3 to 4 years a gallon of gas will cost $10.
That will make an affect on more than just softball.

 

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just made calls to hotels for a tourney that was supposed to be a drive/play. If it's nearly as cheap to stay , as to buy a tank of petro , why drive? MD

 

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We took into consideration the rising cost of gas and everything else when we chose our tournaments this year. We do, as many other teams do, have girls from all over. So we tried to keep the tournaments as close to the majority of players. I would say that is all you can really do. Because God knows you cannot please everyone. ;D

 

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I started mixing my gas with E85 (50? per gallon cheaper). 1 gallon of E85 per 2 gallons of gas. Only effect, so far, is -1 MPG.

 

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We changed our schedule at parents requests just because of gas and hotel increases.

I have had 2 phone calls just this week from parents in the Dayton area asking if we have any openings left because they won't really be able to afford the gas to drive to Cincy and back 2 times a week for practice plus travel a lot on the weekends with their current teams.

I think the gas and hotel prices will force players to stay closer to their own communities next year and play closer to home instead of driving long distances for practices and tournaments. ?JMHO

 

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Say so long to our big SUV's. Problem is who is going to buy it? Hate to say it but we are looking to downsize NOW! Anybody want a 15 mpg suv? Come on......i'll throw in an EZ up and cooler on wheels! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

 

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If you think it is bad now you better pray we don't start a war with Iran.
A Financial anylist on the news just stated that if Iran cut off oil production for just 4 months our gas prices would be over $16.00 a gallon or more. ?

 

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This is why last year I looked into using Wilmington as a new park for girls fastpitch. We are centrally located between Cincy, Dayton, Columbus and just an hour or less from each city. Don't have to spend the night if you don't want to and at $55.00 for a double room across the street from the Park... I agree it might be cheaper to stay overnight. With no NSA in Southwest Ohio.... it also gave the girls the choice to not travel to Northern OHio to play the NSA game as they do now.
As an umpire, I'm tired of traveling to Expressway, Pastime Park in Harrison , Beavercreek, Fairborn and Dayton as well. Be nice to umpire in my backyard for once in my career.....lol....

 

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You know everyone is down-sizing to save on gas. We are doing the same thing... But I can't wait to see all those Geo Metros pulling up to the fields this year with 10 players inside and all the equipment, coolers, e-z ups, chairs and a coach strapped down to the top! ;D It's gonna be a blast!

 

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For us, its hotels for nearly every tournament this year. ?In years past, we would drive to most of the tournaments to spare the expense of a hotel stay, but this year, its the other way around. ?Without a doubt, we are saving money by staying in a hotel, instead of making the round trip drive, 2 or 3 days in a row. ?We will definitely be getting our money's worth out of the continental breakfast this year! ?We have a big family and with all the stuff we load and move from one tournament to another, getting a small, fuel efficient vehicle isn't an option. ?We're stuck with our big ole' gas guzzler, atleast until the kids are grown & gone. ?I guess we just cut back in other areas. ?Like maybe you rowdies will have to consume less alcohol after the games each night????..........naaaa..........what a silly idea!
;D

 

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We're just going to feed our girls burritos on sunday morning.

 

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We are staying in hotels and most are not that close to home but it should be a great year of softball complaining about gas prices takes my mind off of bat prices !!

 

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I will get another job after practice

 

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I think the phrase " Elite Team " will now be defined as who can afford to be associated with a particular team or organization and not particularly the talent that is available. I think we are already starting to see the splinter affect happening with all of the new startups hitting the "LOCAL" tournaments. Todays tournaments are more than just the cost of the fuel to get there. We participated in a tournament in Millersport this past weekend - 20 min. from my house. Maybe 2 gallons of fuel to get there & back, but it was all the other stuff that busted me :'( $8 bucks at Mcd @ 6:30 in the morning - $ 20 on food and drink to bring to the games to keep from spending money at the concession stand - $15 at the concession stand because I ate all my other stuff by noon ;D $30 bucks on pictures that I didn't know I just had to have :-? and to top it off - Just had to stop off at SHIRKYS to show off the medal - drink some beverages and order food to take home because I had 3 other kids and a wife that was waiting on me to bring our dinner home. Oh yea - another $50 Buu. $123.00 and I was only 20 minutes from home. I can't image adding another $100 in gas to that. It's going to be a painful summer :'( :'( :'(

 

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we are traveling more than ever this summer. but... a 200 mile trip, at 20 MPG that is 10 gals of gas. It went up $1 from 2.59 to 3.59 thats $10 more per trip. so we eat at chipotle instead of outback.... I wish I could find a hotel room for $10 a night.